Adding a shortcut to project settings in visual studio 2010

Question

I am using visual studio 2010 and I have a .net desktop application (winform). I want to create a customization for a project. I added the installation wizard project to the solution. Now I want to add a shortcut to the "Programs" and "Desktop" menus. By right-clicking on the "User Program Menu" and selecting "Add", I have only the following options: "Folder", "File", "Project Exit" and "Build". How to add shortcuts? Another question: is it possible to add .net 4.0 to install the project and install it if necessary? Thank you in advance.

Answer 1

If you want to add a shortcut to the desktop when installing a Windows application, follow these steps:

• In Solution Explorer, click the installation project.
• Click File System Editor (on top of Solution Explorer).
• When the file system editor opens, on the left tab you will see "File system on the target machine." Click "Application Folder".
• Then on the right tab will appear "Primary output from MyApp (Active)". Right-click and select "Create Shortcut for the Initial Exit from MyApp (Active)." You should now see a shortcut below the main output, which is the executable application.
• Drag this shortcut from the right tab to the left tab “File system on the target machine” - the “Desktop” folder.
• Now the shortcut for your .exe will appear on the desktop after installation.
• You can click the shortcut in the file system editor and edit the Name property from the property grid to change the text that appears on the icon.

Answer 2

here is an explanation for adding a shortcut to your project: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/837220

Answer 3

Here is a good visual. This explains the whole installation and deployment in vs2010.

Brief note from mine:

(1) File → New Project → Other Project Types -> Installation and Deployment → Visual Studio Installer

(2) Add a name to the installation project.

(3) Right-click the application folder → Add → project exit

(4) **** Select your solution for the project "primary exit from yours .." ****

(5) **** Add the appropriate third-party DLLs. **** // Never Forget About It.

(6) Project settings right-click in the solution browser and BUILD .

(7) Find the appropriate setting in the debug folder (default)

In the folder you will get .exe and .msi .

Answer 4

To enable the .net infrastructure as part of the installation package, select your installer project from the solution explorer, right-click → properties.

In the window that opens, click the Prerequisites button. Another window will open and select the version of .Net Framework you want, and then use the radio buttons to select "Download prerequisites from the same location as my application."